Inside Arvada

Arvada Summerfest Brings Live Music And Family Fun To West Arvada

• City of Arvada • Episode 54

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We talk with Brett Medina from the Arvada Festivals Commission about how Arvada Summerfest comes together and what makes it a genuinely free, family-friendly music festival. We also share what else is coming up around town, plus a trivia round that tests our Summerfest knowledge and highlights how community feedback shapes next year. 

Included in this episode: 

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Visit us at arvadaco.gov/podcast or email us at podcast@arvada.org.

Meet The Summerfest Chair

SPEAKER_00

Hello and welcome to Inside Arvada, the official podcast of the City of Arvada. I'm Sean Starr, one of your hosts. Thank you so much for tuning in to today's episode. We're talking all about Arvada Summerfest coming up on Saturday, June 6th. Our guest to learn more about this year's event is Brett Medina from the Arvada Festivals Commission. Brett has lived in Arvada for four years and has been serving on the commission for the past two years. And when she's not helping plan and host some of Arvada's biggest events, you can find her enjoying outdoors with her husband and dogs, throwing pottery at the Apex Center, or painting with chalk pastels. And as always, I'm joined by my co-host Katie Patterson. Hi, Katie.

Katie

Hey, Sean. Yeah, Brett, thanks for being here today. We're really excited to have you on. Thanks for having me. I'm pumped. So tell us just a little bit about yourself and how you're involved in the Festivals Commission.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. So as Sean mentioned, I've been on the commission for two years, entering into my third. I think I just hit my two-year anniversary. Um, and I am the chair of Summerfest. So kind of just leading our meetings, setting agendas, delegating as well from time to time. And then I'm also the commission's co-chair.

SPEAKER_00

And so the commission is, I'm gonna guess here like 12 to 16 people on it, I believe, something like that. Or no, there's 25.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Wow, okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

When the commission first started, it was created in 2000 with about 20 volunteer community members. And now we're sitting at 25 and really excited to this month, actually. We just we're welcoming another or our most recent 10 new members to the commission. So 25 currently.

Katie

I mean, it's a lot of work to put on events. So that's a big commission. But I imagine everybody has a lot of important roles in getting the festivals.

SPEAKER_02

It's all hands on deck. Everyone has a role to play, a voice to be heard. We couldn't put on the festivals that we do without everyone's perspective. And everyone, all 25 of us, bring a different viewpoint to make sure that we're planning the best festivals for the community.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. And so we have, you know, more traditional boards and commissions, like the Park Advisory Committee and like the Transportation Advisory Committee, but the Festivals Commission, that's such a unique commission or board because y'all are out there at these events doing the manual labor of helping set things up, helping tear things down. So we always just so much appreciate folks like yourself who are willing to be on the commission and not only plan but put on these events.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. And I and don't get me wrong, well, the the subcommittees who uh support the festivals themselves, we are there all day. But we also have incredible volunteers from the community and some of our partner organizations that also come and lend a hand, and it wouldn't be possible without them as well.

SPEAKER_00

All right.

What Summerfest Is All About

SPEAKER_00

Let's get into Summerfest. Like I mentioned, it's coming up here on Saturday, June 6th. It's from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ralston Addition Park. That's over there off 64th Avenue in Sims, just north of Arvada West High School. This is year two of Summerfest. It was a combination of two now defunct events, Arvada on Tap and Arvada Days. So, what can folks expect at this year's event?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, so Arvada Summerfest is a free summer kickoff music festival, fun for the whole family. The event is definitely centered on live music. We'll have two stages with performances going all day. But you're absolutely right, Sean. In combining Arvada on tap and Arvada days, we wanted to make sure we still featured elements from both the festivals. So, on the one hand, it's going to be local vendors and free kids activities similar to what folks would have seen at Arvada Days, but we kept the fundraising aspect from Arvada on tap. So in serving the beers and seltzers and ciders, those proceeds benefit our community partner organizations, Arvada Vitality Alliance, Sunrise Rotary Club, and Kawanis.

Katie

And beer from New Train and New York. Yeah. The news, but not New Belgium. And so super exciting that it's really leaning into the music

Music Lineup And Two Stages

Katie

aspect. Tell us a little bit about the lineup.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, some incredible bands. So our headliner is the DJ Williams band. And just to be clear, DJ Williams is not a DJ. He is an acclaimed guitarist and singer songwriter. He has experienced performing with some great names in live music, Dave Matthews band, John Legend. And I would describe his sound or the DJ Williams band sound as soul rock funk. They frequent the Denver and Orvada music scenes, but have also been touring across the US. So really excited to have them headlining. And we have two openers as well on our main stage. So kicking us off is Booty and the Beat. This band is led by a sister duo. So one with killer pipes and the other who absolutely rocks the clarinet. Equal Parts, New Orleans funk, and Seminy Soul, but very high energy, great way to start the day. And then following Booty and the Beat, we have Jess Yancey and the High Hopes who will be joining us. Jess Yancey is a singer-songwriter, folk singer from the front range. His band, Jess Yancy and the High Hopes, edges into a rock and roll vibe with an incredible rhythm section and very fun song lyrics. So they'll deliver everything an audience would want to hear from that folk rock end. But super cool. Yeah. And there's not all, folks. No, so we have actually a second stage entirely dedicated to local Arvada musicians. So three solo acts throughout the day. Ryan Aiden Keller from A Side of Jam, James Hurtado playing soulful funk and rock. And then finally Richard Richard Climo covering classic rock, blues, and folk songs from the 60s to 90s.

SPEAKER_00

Awesome. And so I think what booty and the beat will get things started off right away there at 11 o'clock on the main stage. And then they'll have their set. And then while they're changing sets on the main stage, then the all local stage will perform. And so you've got something going on for all whatever five hours of the entire festival.

SPEAKER_02

That's right. So don't be late.

SPEAKER_00

Awesome. Sounds like the commission did a great job of attracting a good variety and some really well-known artists, some really talented musicians. How do you go about finding a DJ Williams to come headline Summerfest?

SPEAKER_02

You know, we have some incredible members on the commission who are plugged in to the local music scene. I'm fortunate enough to be married to a musician who's played in Arvada and around the front range. So, you know, we uh absolutely tap our network, but we also are always, you know, going out and supporting live music to meet those bands, meet different musicians so that we can, you know, incorporate them in events to come. And, you know, it's not just Summerfest that often features music. A number of our other festivals do as well. But yeah, it's it's definitely a group effort to get the names that we get. And we're always open to uh having people reach out to us.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, last year's lineup was great. I encourage folks to go on the event webpage, arvatico.gov slash summerfest, and we got more information about those three main acts, but we'll add the local ones as well. And you can kind of, you know, listen to their music, listen to their YouTube, listen to their Spotify, and kind of get a uh an idea of what to expect. And DJ Williams, I ran through his Spotify recently and just some really great stuff. And so uh really looking forward to catching him live. What other things can people look forward to at the festival other than the live

Kids Activities Food And Getting There

SPEAKER_00

music? Do I have to bring a bunch of cash for my kid to do the inflatables or like what what else is going on?

SPEAKER_02

Absolutely not for the inflatables. Of course, if you do want to support some of our local craft vendors, which we will have a number of vendors at Summerfest, all local vendors, but then also businesses with tents as well. But the kids' activities, which I we touched on a little bit earlier, free inflatables, the face painting. No, you don't have to bring cash. And then, of course, the beer, ciders, and food trucks covering a variety of cuisines that kind of tuck tap into different summer eats. Um free bike valet.

Katie

I know we're talking about uh making it accessible to get there. Bike friendly Arvada will help store your bike for you.

SPEAKER_02

So you can pull up and they'll take your bike, they'll put it in a rack so it's nice and safe, and they have someone standing by all day just making sure you know your bikes are where you left them.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and that's free too. The event is free, everything's free. And so uh, you know, I think that's part of the mission of the commission is to put on these events that are free. And so it's amazing how much we can still do without having to charge anything.

Katie

And it's an all-weather event. So likely more likely hot and sunny than anything this year.

SPEAKER_02

But fingers crossed, right? Uh yeah. But luckily we have and we call them the big blues. They are big blue tents. So if you're driving by and you're wondering what's going on on 64th, right in front of our Vada West, and you see big blue tents, that's us. So we will have shade out there and a water truck. And of course, food and drinks provided by you know our beer partners, but then also the food trucks and yeah.

Katie

It's exciting. I'm looking forward

More City Festivals And Volunteering

Katie

to it. So, what else is going on this year with Festivals Commission? This isn't it. I know there's more to come. More to come.

SPEAKER_02

There is more, always. We have movies around town kicking off in July. So these the movies around town rotate across different parks in our community and show movies family friendly, um, for people to come out, you know, put out their pink blankets, bring it, bring a snack, bring dinner, whatever you want. And so this year in July, we're showing Labyrinth, August, we're gonna show Little Shop of Horrors, September, Super Mario Galaxy, and then in October, it is People's Choice. So on our website, people can vote on their movie of choice. And of course, because October or movies around town is in October, it will have a Halloween theme. So very fun.

Katie

That might be the one I'm looking forward to the most. I got to go to at least one last year and I really enjoyed it. It's such a nice way to like cool off in the evening to have a nice summer night.

SPEAKER_02

Absolutely. And then one other festival that we have is high tea for seniors, and that is in August as well. So we're always looking for volunteers. We'd love to see all out there.

Katie

Yeah. How can folks get involved in the volunteering?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. So if you go on our website, each event page will have a link to a sign-up genius. And so people can sign up for whatever works best for them, whether it's setup or teardown or just lending a hand during the day. You know, all of it is important and all of it is so appreciated. Um, as we were saying before, these events wouldn't be possible without the volunteers from the community, in addition to the volunteers on the commission.

SPEAKER_00

And we also have an email list. If you're interested in volunteering, you can sign up for that email list. And then when we have those opportunities, you'll get an email and then you can sign up and we take care of our volunteers. We you know it's not like super hard work all day long. There's you know, food and snack and all that provided, and it's what a fun way to serve your community.

SPEAKER_02

Aaron Powell Absolutely. Yeah, meet new people and you know you get to enjoy the festival too. You are you know putting breaking a little sweat from time to time, but you know, it's really rewarding to have it have both sides.

SPEAKER_00

And then one more thing about Summer Fest. Last year it was a pet swimsuit competition. We're not doing any sort of pet competitions this year, but you are welcome to bring your pets with you.

SPEAKER_02

Aaron Powell Yes, yes. When when we say family friendly, we mean family in whatever sense that means to you. So whether your family has kids with two legs or four. They are all welcome and we'd love to see your pups out there. Um we'll have water stations, like water areas and shade for the dogs as well, of course, you know.

SPEAKER_00

Awesome. Can't can't forget our free friends.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, exactly. They are part of the family.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely.

Summerfest Trivia And Survey Feedback

SPEAKER_00

All right. Uh let's wrap it up with everyone's favorite segment. It's our trivia segment. Uh-oh. These are three questions that are somewhat Summerfest music related. And yeah, we'll have some multiple choice options and have some fun. Okay.

Katie

Let's do it.

SPEAKER_00

So, like we mentioned, one of the coolest parts about Summerfest is the fundraising. We serve beer and all the money from the beer sales goes to our community partner organizations, the Arvada Vitality Alliance, Arvada Jefferson Kawanas Club, and the Arvada Sunrise Rotary. And so, how much money did we raise last year at last year's event? Was it $7,000, $8,000, $9,000, or $10,000? $7,000, $8, $9, or $10.

Katie

$8,000. I was gonna say $8,000 as well.

SPEAKER_00

Close. $9,000.

SPEAKER_02

I'm glad that it was higher than our guests. That's what we want.

SPEAKER_00

Go past last year's. And you know, if you're not a beer drinker, there's seltzers and ciders there too. Yeah, gluten-free options. Cash tip and just you know, support those organizations too. And those folks will be earning that money. They'll be the ones that are pouring the beers.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, pouring the beers there, taking your order, and they will be swiping your credit card.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Good to know. All right. Which of the following bands has ties to Arvada? Is it the Lumineers, The Fray, Nathaniel Rate Liff, or Big Head Todd and the Monsters?

SPEAKER_02

Oh, I know Big Head Todd and the Monsters has ties to Denver.

Katie

I mean, they all have ties to Denver. They do all have ties to Boulder. And then Nathaniel Rightlift is Boulder.

SPEAKER_00

They're all loosely Denver, Colorado.

Katie

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02

I'm gonna say Big Head Todd.

SPEAKER_00

That's the fray. So their former lead singer Isaac Slade and their drummer both attended Faith Christian School. Oh no. Um, which is now, I think, Forge Christian. But I think they're from Boulder, but they went to Faith Christian. So loose tie program.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, okay, I'll take it. Maybe we can get the fray in 2027.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. All right, so after every festival, we do a quick survey, but five questions generally, and an open-ended one about sort of what they thought about the event so that we can make next year's event even better. Looking back at last year's Summer Fest survey results. I have some comments that we got, and one of these is made up. So I'll share some comments and you gotta pick the one that I made up. All right, first one. It was great. I love that I could let my kids choose what to do without having to say no a bazillion times. I also love that there was food and beverages and a space for kids to run around without disturbing those that didn't want to interact with kids. That's one option. Love the location being more towards West Arvada. It was nice to l to have live music right in the center of things. My kids love the inflatables, and generally speaking, it was just a good time. C. The Arvada Gardeners has the best booth. I like having the bike corral or D. Summerfest was a ripoff, completely overpriced. I can't believe how much I spent on parking, admission, the bounce houses, and face painting. Will not be going next year. Too expensive.

Katie

D, D, do hiss on D. That is not true.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, I'm gonna cherry pick some of those comments. Not everything we got was like super flattering, but kids, you know, people generally had great things to say about it. And so if you do plan on going, look for that survey and you can kind of tell us, you know, what you thought about the event so we can make next year's better.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, and we do read all of the comments submitted. We do review the survey results as a commission. So we want to have your voice heard for 2027. Definitely.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, we take that feedback seriously. Reaction it, yeah. Exactly. So awesome. Well, thank you so much, Brett, for being our guest. Really appreciate it. Thanks so much. This was wonderful.

SPEAKER_02

Appreciate it. And hope to see everyone, you both, everyone here, Summer Fest this year.

City Updates And Next Episode

SPEAKER_00

As a reminder, we love hearing from our listeners. You can reach us at our podcast at Arvada.org. We love hearing feedback from our listeners about what you enjoy, what you'd like to see differently, episode ideas, and more. The Ralston Central splash pad recently opened for the season, and the splash pad uses recycled water like a swimming pool, so the operating hours will not be impacted by the city's drought restrictions. However, the fountain in Old Town does not use recycled water, and therefore it will be very limited this summer to only special events such as the farmers market and second Saturdays, while stage one restrictions are in place. The Arvada Kids Fishing Contest is coming up on Saturday, June 13th from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Arvada Blond Reservoir. This is free and open to kids age 14 and younger and their families. The fishing contest includes prizes for each age division, along with a free lunch and raffle. And you can learn more at ArvadaCo.gov slash fishing dash contest.

Katie

And the next bulky item drop-off event is the same day as Summerfest, Saturday, June 6th. So you can go drop off your bulky items and then head over to SummerFest after. It runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the North Area Athletic Complex or the NAC. And be sure to bring proof of residency and check the list of acceptable items and everything you need to know before you go at arvataco.gov slash bulky items. Thank you again to our guest today, Brett Medina. Be sure to listen to our next episode with Jeff Gatlin from Jeff Co. Public Schools. We'll be talking about the school disposition process and what happens to closed school properties. Today's podcast was recorded and edited by Arvada Media Services.

SPEAKER_00

And today's fun fact is that Summerfest headliner DJ Williams' band has performed live with the following artists John Legend, Dave Matthews Band, Warren Hayes, Sharon Jones, and the Dap Kings, John Oates, Hannibal Burst, Robert Randolph, Soul Live, and Slightly Stupid.

Katie

Whoa.